A-Rod's Apology Feels A Little Dirty

As a citizen of Red Sox Nation, it is my duty to hate everything Yankees, from the Yankee Way, to attempting to buy championships, their players, and even vertical pinstripes.

But I get a huge sense of relief to see third baseman Alex Rodriguez quickly admit to taking performance enhancing drugs. For once a high profile baseball player that denied P.E.D. use didn’t answer an accusation with another denial.

Rodriguez did the right thing. For showing good, quick judgment, A-Rod deserves a pat on his back.

That same hand also clenches your collar and holds you in place because you won’t get off that easy.

In his interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons, A-Rod’s all-around manners indicated he was genuine with his answers. There appeared to be redness in his eyes, maybe a sign he was holding back tears. He apologized, explained why he used performance enhancers, gave a timetable for when he used them, and criticized his decision to use steroids.

But something about how he answered some questions bothered me. His constant reference to “the culture back then” is the equivalent to making excuses. “It’s not all my fault. Look at everyone else!” was what Rodriguez suggested every time he referenced “the loosey-goosey culture.” Plainly owning up to it would had sufficed.

I want to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe him. But on the other hand, with the slight deflection of the blame and standardized answers, I’m skeptical. It feels like there’s something he isn’t saying.

What’s the harm? At the time he was using P.E.Ds, it wasn’t against Major League Baseball’s rules. When Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts confronted A-Rod about his positive tests, he could had defiantly answered, “Yeah, I took ‘em. So what? Lick my swollen biceps, world! Y’all can’t touch me! Ha-ha-ha-ha!” And honestly, he would had been completely right. Rodriguez used steroids like other players used vitamins, took supplements, drank protein shakes, and slept in hyperbaric chambers. A-Rod wasn’t cheating.

That lack of a “cheater” title is thanks to MLB that turned the other way when they knew steroid use was going on and a players union that defended the use of P.E.Ds until the government stepped in and played hardball. While players were getting juiced, Major League Baseball was reaping the fruits of record attendance and merchandise sales. Towering shots into the upper decks brought fans back after the lockout and baseball let the show be the distraction as the dirty little secret was swept under the rug.

Give credit where credit is due, though. A-Rod could had made the mistakes Rafael Palmerio, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds did. Rodriguez could had compounded his positive test result by vehemently denying mounting evidence like Bonds and Clemens. Nor is A-Rod hiding behind the past like Mark McGuire and pleading the fifth. Alex Rodriguez owned his usage.

But it feels like A-Rod looked at fans sideways instead of dead in the eye. Saying his career numbers were consistent when he hit more homeruns over three years on steroids (52 on average) than clean (10-season average of 39) insults the fans’ intelligence.

What we know as of right now is Rodriguez admits to steroid use. His positive test result is just one of 104 positives registered. The MLB and the players union has to clean up their act and give up the names of the remaining 103. What’s the harm? The biggest name on the list has been exposed and left twisting in the media storm. The other users won’t suffer nearly the scrutiny A-Rod is going through.

And if A-Rod can be a big enough man to come clean, then every steroid user must follow A-Rod’s footsteps, give mea culpas and come clean as well.

Well, at least that’s what Alex Rodriguez calls it. It feels like there’s still some dirt left that A-Rod won’t tell us about.